Duragesic Patch-Retirement-OH!

[Guest guest]

I figured I'd just reply to three different emails all in one rather than

try to do three separate...lazy me!!

On DURAGESIC:

Jeff has been on the Duragesic patch for about 6 months now. They started

him on 75 mcg, and he experienced some very alarming side effects. But his

back pain was so bad that the doctor decided to play with the dosage rather

than take him off it altogether. At 75 mcg, his orthostatic hypotension

relly got bad, and that's when we started him on florinef. He had terrible

itching all over and extreme hoarseness. His swallowing problems were also

magnified. The doctor reduced him to 25 mcg with vicodin for the

breakthrough pain. All of his side effects disappeared (which means his

MSA symptoms were back to normal, rather than magnified). He did continue

the florinef, but they cut the dosage to .1 mg/day. Over the past 6

months, he's had to increase his dosage and is up to 75 mcg. We have not

seen any alarming side effects, but we have to monitor his BP and heart

rate more closely. Note that before the duragesic patch, he tried a

varitey of anti-spasm medications with no or little effect. He does take

the neurontin for spasms and cramps in his legs, but the duragesic helps

him with the back pain. He's also been fitted with a solid back brace that

wraps around his torso from the top of his butt to his chest. That helps

with the pain while at work, and keeps him from the cane or wheelchair (at

least for now).

ON RETIREMENT and SSI:

MAZELTOV !! I am hoping Jeff can hold on until this spring when I will

STRONGLY encourage him to go on disability. He should be getting a $15,000

bonus which will help supplement our income while we are applying for SSI

disability. But, if he has to go sooner, so be it. I don't know the

ramifications of you going on unemployment. If you are on unemployment,

you usually have to show the unemployment office that you are actively

seeking work. They will ask you for documentation of interviews,

applications, etc. And if you aren't looking, they will cut it off. BUT

EVERY STATE has different rules and regs, so you should contact your state

or local unemployment commission for details.

ON OH:

Jeff did not initially have symptoms of orthostatic hypotension (OH), but

it has developed over time. RIght now we are struggling with the florinef

raising his BP too high. He has BP spikes at least a few times a day now.

Last night he had one that measured 175/122. Pretty scary. We were

hoping the start of Sinemet would help, but it hasn't done anything. The

Sinemet has helped the tremors, though they are not completely gone.

So, there's my three cents.....

M.

[Guest guest]

I figured I'd just reply to three different emails all in one rather than

try to do three separate...lazy me!!

On DURAGESIC:

Jeff has been on the Duragesic patch for about 6 months now. They started

him on 75 mcg, and he experienced some very alarming side effects. But his

back pain was so bad that the doctor decided to play with the dosage rather

than take him off it altogether. At 75 mcg, his orthostatic hypotension

relly got bad, and that's when we started him on florinef. He had terrible

itching all over and extreme hoarseness. His swallowing problems were also

magnified. The doctor reduced him to 25 mcg with vicodin for the

breakthrough pain. All of his side effects disappeared (which means his

MSA symptoms were back to normal, rather than magnified). He did continue

the florinef, but they cut the dosage to .1 mg/day. Over the past 6

months, he's had to increase his dosage and is up to 75 mcg. We have not

seen any alarming side effects, but we have to monitor his BP and heart

rate more closely. Note that before the duragesic patch, he tried a

varitey of anti-spasm medications with no or little effect. He does take

the neurontin for spasms and cramps in his legs, but the duragesic helps

him with the back pain. He's also been fitted with a solid back brace that

wraps around his torso from the top of his butt to his chest. That helps

with the pain while at work, and keeps him from the cane or wheelchair (at

least for now).

ON RETIREMENT and SSI:

MAZELTOV !! I am hoping Jeff can hold on until this spring when I will

STRONGLY encourage him to go on disability. He should be getting a $15,000

bonus which will help supplement our income while we are applying for SSI

disability. But, if he has to go sooner, so be it. I don't know the

ramifications of you going on unemployment. If you are on unemployment,

you usually have to show the unemployment office that you are actively

seeking work. They will ask you for documentation of interviews,

applications, etc. And if you aren't looking, they will cut it off. BUT

EVERY STATE has different rules and regs, so you should contact your state

or local unemployment commission for details.

ON OH:

Jeff did not initially have symptoms of orthostatic hypotension (OH), but

it has developed over time. RIght now we are struggling with the florinef

raising his BP too high. He has BP spikes at least a few times a day now.

Last night he had one that measured 175/122. Pretty scary. We were

hoping the start of Sinemet would help, but it hasn't done anything. The

Sinemet has helped the tremors, though they are not completely gone.

So, there's my three cents.....

M.